Bedclothes adjuster



Oct. 31, 1939. H. B. JAMES BEDCLOTHES ADJUSTER Filed Dec. 24, 1937 Patented Oct. 31, 1939 UNITED STATE? rarest or ies BEDCLOTHES ADJUSTER- Herman B. James, Lee Augeles, Calif.

Application December 24, 1937, Serial No. 181,521

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a bed attachment for use in effecting adjustment of the bed clothing.

An object of the invention is to provide a device for engaging'the foot end portion of bed covers for holding the latter in place, and which is so constructed and arranged as to facilitate drawing the bed covers taut in making up a bed, but which is also adapted to be operated to slacken the bed covers.

Another object is to provide a device of the above character embodying means whereby the bed clothing adjusting means may be readily manipulated by the occupant of a bed to eiiect adjustment of the foot portion of the bed covers, and especially in loosening or elevating the foot portion of the bed covers so as to relieve the feet of the occupant from excessive load or tightness of the bed covers.

Another object is to provide a construction in the device for effecting ready engagement with the bed covers and disengagement therefrom, and such as to permit engagement with bed covers of various thicknesses.

Another object is to provide an effective mechanism for raising and lowering the foot portion of bed covers on a bed embodying means for holding the foot portions of the covers at variom elevated adjusted positions or at various conditions of tautness.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a bed clothes adjusting device which is mounted solely upon the portion of the bed structure which supports the bed-springs and mattress, thus rendering it unnecessary to reconstruct the bed to apply the invention thereto, to such an extent as is necessary in bed clothes adjusting devices which are made a part of the main frame of the bed.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention is carried intoeiiect as illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device:

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section of a tubular standard utilized as a support and guide for a vertically movable bed cover engaging bar, and showing the bar actuating means:

Fig. 3 is a detail in horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2:

Fig. l is a detail in section taken on the line 4- 5 of Fig. l depicting the manner of attaching bed covers to the adjusting bar:

Fig. 5 is a detail in section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 6 is a plan View and section taken on the line 5-6 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 7 is a diagram in side elevation illustrating the manner of applying the invention.

Referring to the drawing more specifically A and B designate a pair of tubular standards which are designed to be erected at or adjacent to the corners of the foot end portion of a bed and which are preferably attached to a bedspring frame C, as indicated in Fig. 7, such as to project upwardly contiguous the foot end portion of the usual bed mattress D.

The standards A and B constitute guides for a vertically movable horizontally extending bar 8 the ends of which are engaged With the upper ends of flexible shafts 9 mounted for longitudinal movement interiorly of the standards. As here shown the bar 8 is formed of metal tubing of rectangular cross section one end of which is affixed to a pin it extending through a vertical slot it on the standard A and engaged with a stud l2 amxed to the upper end of the shaft 9 within the standard A. The other end of the bar 8 is fitted with a tubular bolt 53 which is mounted to slide longitudinally in and out of the end of the bar 8 and is fitted with a handle it which projects through a slot 55 extending lengthwise of the upper face of the bar 8. An expansible spiral spring it is arranged in the bar 3 to bear against the inner end of the bolt l3 to normally maintain the bolt in its advanced position. The outer end of the bolt it has detachable telescopic engagement with a pin 81 which passes through a longitudinal slot 58 in the standard B and connects with a stud i5 afiixed to the upper end of the shaft 9 within the standard B.

The lower end portions of the standards A and B are extended laterally and are arranged to project toward the head end of the bed springs, and the lower end portions of the flexible shafts 9 are extended into the lateral lower end portions of the standards through curved bends connecting the upper and lower end portions thereof.

Connecting with the lower ends of the flexible shafts 9 are rods 28 which lead to and pivotally connect with the lower ends of arms 2! depending from and aifixed to the end portions of a rock-shaft 22 which is designed to be mounted in suitable bearings to extend across and be carried by the upper end portion of the bed-spring frame C.

As here shown in Fig. 5 one end portion of the rock-shaft 22 is extended through a bearing .23 carried on a plate 2 which is mounted on the bed-spring frame and arranged to overlie the outer face of a side rail thereof; the rock-shaft being mounted for both rotary and rectilineal movement.

A spring 25 is wound around the rock-shaft 22 and bears between the bearing 23 and a pin 26 aflixed to the rock-shaft, and which spring acts to normally maintain the rock-shaft in an advanced position to retain a detent 21, formed on an upward extension of the arm 2!, in engagement with any one of several recesses 28 formed in the plate 24, and whereby the rockshaft 22 and is connections leading through the rods 20 and flexible shafts 9 to the bar 8 will be releasably held in various adjusted positions.

Upwardly extending pins 39 are formed on each of the arms 21 for effecting detachable connection with a hand lever 3| which is formed with a sleeve 32 at one end thereof for telescopically receiving one of the pins 30 and which sleeve is fitted with a set screw 33 whereby the sleeve and pin may be securely fastened together.

Means are provided for detachably connecting the foot end portions of bed covers to the bar 8, which is here shown as embodying a pair of inverted U-shaped spring clamps 34 afiixed to the bar 8 and adapted to receive a removable pole 35 around which is wrapped or folded in suitable fashion the foot end portions of bed covers 36 as particularly shown in Fig. 4:.

In the operation of the invention in effecting initial positioning of the bed covers on the bed, the upper or head end of the covers are arranged in the desired position in a usual manner, whereupon the foot end portions of the covers are wrapped or folded around the pole 35 to such extent that when the covers are drawn nearly taut over the foot end of the mattress D the pole with the wrapped covers thereon may be positioned beneath the spring clips 34 on the bar 8 with the latter disposed in an elevated position. On the pole 35 being thus engaged with the clips on the bar 34 as shown in Fig. 4, the bar is then moved downwardly on the standards A-B which movement may be effected either by pushing the bar downwardly or by turning the rock-shaft 22 which latter action is accomplished by manipulation of the hand lever 3|. In either event the arms 2i will be swung rearwardly and the upward extension thereof will move forwardly with the detent 2'! advancing into successive engagement with the recesses 28; the detent in moving out of one recess and into another causing the rockshaft 22 to' shift longitudinally in opposition to the spring 25 which acts when the detent comes to rest in a recess 28 to hold the rock-shaft stationary and thereby hold the bar 8 in a fixed position.

By adjusting the bar 8 as stated the bed covers may be drawn taut in the direction of their length. When it is desired to slacken the covers the operation of the bar 8 as above described may be reversed, and by positioning the lever 3i convenient to the reach of an occupant of the bed the mechanism may be actuated by the occupant to elevate the bar 8 and thus slacken or loosen the covers from the foot of the bed.

The device serves to retain the foot portion of the bed covers in a spread position at all times and prevents their being accidentally freed from the foot of the bed by the beds occupant, and also serves to facilitate spreading the covers of the bed.

By the construction and arrangement shown the mechanism may be completely concealed when in use so as not to detract from the appearance of or neatness of the made up bed.

I claim:

1. In a bed cover adjusting device, a pair of vertical tubular guides having laterally extending lower end portions, flexible reciprocal shafts in said guides, a horizontal bar carried at its ends on the upper ends of said shafts, means for attaching bed covers to said bar, and means connecting with the lower ends of said shafts through the lateral lower end portions of said tubular guides for collectively reciprocating said shafts.

2. In a bed cover adjusting device, a pair of vertical tubular guides having laterally extending lower end portions, flexible reciprocal shafts in said guides, a horizontal bar carried at its ends on the upper ends of said shafts, means for attach- 4 ing bed covers to said bar, rods connecting with the lower ends of said shafts, a rock-shaft, arms on said rock-shaft to which said rods are connected, and manually operated means for turning said rock-shaft.

3. In a bed cover adjusting device, a pair of vertical tubular guides having laterally extending lower end portions, flexible reciprocal shafts in said guides, a horizontal bar carried at its on the upper ends of said shafts, means for attaching bed covers to said bar, rods connecting with the lower ends of said shafts, a rock-shaft, arms on said rock-shaft to which said rods are connected, manually operated means for turning said rock-shaft, and means for releasably holding said rock-shaft in various adjusted positions whereby said bar is held in various positions relative to said guides.

4. In a bed cover adjusting device, the combi nation of a bed-spring frame, a horizontal bar, means for supporting said bar for vertical movement at the foot end of said bed-spring frame, a rock-shaft carried adjacent the head end of said bed-spring frame, a hand lever connected to said rock-shaft, means connecting said rock-shaft and said bar for reciprocating the latter on rocking said rock-shaft, and means for releasably holding said rock-shaft in various positions against free turning movement.

5. In a bed cover adjusting device, in combi- .3

nation, a removabie bed-spring frame, a horizontal bar, means for supporting said bar at the ends thereof upon the foot end of said bed-spring frame for vertical movement relative to said frame, a rock-shaft carried by said bed-spring frame adjacent the head end thereof, a hand lever connected to: said rock-shaft, means connecting said rockshaft to the ends of said bar for reciprocating the latter on rocking said rock-shaft, and means for releasably holding said rock-shaft in various positions against free turning movement.

HERMAN 13. JAMES. 

